Not content with a planned march into one of Pakistan's most dangerous regions, a group of middle-aged American women are considering mounting a hunger strike outside the US embassy in Islamabad as part a campaign against CIA drone attacks in the country.

Thirty-five activists from Code Pink, a US anti-war group, have gathered in the Pakistani capital this week as they prepare for an unprecedented march and political rally in South Waziristan, one of the semi-autonomous tribal areas on the Afghan border, which is a hotbed of Taliban militancy.

Despite intense publicity surrounding the event, doubts persist over whether it will be able to take place. Local authorities have expressed strong doubts about the safety of the march, even though the Pakistani military has long claimed its operations in the area have brought a semblance of security.

Medea Benjamin, the veteran activist leading the Code Pink delegation, said: "Frankly, it's a win-win situation for us, whether we get into Waziristan or not.

"We are going because we are challenging the Pakistani government to allow us to go to a place that has been off limits but needs to be seen. And if they try to stop us, it will be clear they do not want the world to see what is going on there."

On Tuesday in Islamabad, the women met retired generals, ambassadors and even a former head of the notorious military spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and discussed other tactics to publicise their cause.

Will this be a real hunger strike, or a tag team Je$$e Jack$on style hunger strike?

In one you slowly commit suicide in order to show how serious you are about an issue. In the other you get a four hour shift of not eating and may feel a bit peckish after lunch to show how serious you are about the issue.

20
posted on 10/04/2012 11:15:48 AM PDT
by KarlInOhio
("Government is the only thing that we all belong to"=implicit repeal of the 13th amendment for all.)

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